Countershaft-clutch.



F. D. DEIVIUTH COUNTERSHAFT CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.2. 1917.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. D. DEIVIUTH.

COUNTERSHAFT CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-2. |917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918,

F. D. DEMUTH.

COUNTERSHAFT CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1111.2. 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A FREDERICK D. DEMUTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COUNTERSHAFTCLUTCH.

mames.

Specification 'of Letters Patent. n Patent-@d Feb. 26, 1915..

v Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,045.

To all whom it may concern:

. specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to a countershaft clutch including a friction pulley device, whereby a transmission of power may be effected.

I am well aware that this particular art is old and well developed, consequently, that my exemplifying invention represents only a series of specific improvements each of which however, enables me to realize a distinct advantage. The featured objects of my construction are:

To provide a clutch which .is not only feasible and durable but always in perfect balance.`

To provide a laterally compact arrangement requiring less pressure on the cone wedge to produce increased friction at the pulley.

'Io provide a driving spider loosely inter-V posed between the ends of a floating friction ring in order to relieve the clutch Fngers of the strain. Y

To provide a double acting stop for determining the normal position of the clutch actuating lingers.

To provide a grease well leading to the rollers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but. it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which Vcorne within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

-Adverting to the drawings:

Figure I is a vvertical section of a clutch embodying my invention, the shaft beingV shown in dotted lines.V

Fig. II is an elevationof the same seen from the operating end.

Fig. III is a section on line IIIMIII of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a detail elevation of theclutch ring.

Fig. V is a similar view of another detail.

Fig. VI is a section on line VI-VI of Fig. I. e

Figs. VII and VIII are elevations of different sides of the type of clutch finger employed. Y

Directing attention first to Fig. I, the shaft 1 carries a cone member 2 which is to be actuated in any suitable manner common to the artio the end of spreading apart a pair of clutch actuating fingers to be later described. A pulley 3 having spokes a is mounted for movement about the shaft 1 or together with it according to whether the clutch happens to be released or engaged. It may be inferred that the pulley is communicated'with some other source of power such as a line shaft. The pulley has an interior annular friction surface 5. a hub 6 having a setsof roller bearings 11, 12 and 13 respectively. It will be noticed that the rollers are l rather short in length and interposed between the sets 11 and 12 is a' separator 111, whereas between the sets 12 and 13 is a collar 15 of less thickness than the diameter short but separated Vthe advantage is gained of minimizing the tendencies of end-wise twist. The roller bearings are held in place on the shaft 1 by retaining rings 16 and 17 which are in turn secured by screws 18.

Surrounding the hub 6 closely adjacent to the friction surface of the pulley is a friction ring 19 split at oneV point as clearly aption ring 19 is a. spider :2S-land this element designed and connected constitutes one of the features of my'inventioii. lts formation is clearly shown in Fig. V to involve a pair ofv cut-out 'portions 24 so shaped as yto causen driving` arm tov project midway tl'ierebetween. The extremity of the arm 25 'is provided: on two opposite sides with paral- K lelV flat surfaces A26 which are spaced apart the same distance as the surfaces22 on the brake ring so that they may be brought in juxtapositi'on.` In this manner any rotary movement imparted to the friction ring 19 is closely communicated lto the spider 23 and consequently to the shaft l'. That side of the spider opposite the arm with refer entete its center is counter-weighted as" designated by Athe reference numeral 27. ySuch a weight counter-balances the weight of thevears o n the friction. rii'igindeed all of the mechanism co-acts to transfer power on the opposite side of theccnter. It should be noticed thaty the spider is shaped with a central Vforwardly proj ecting fiange having right langnlarly related surfaces 28 and '29. These are best shown in Fig. l. Moreover, the inter-position of the spider serves to re- .lieve vthe other lless durable paris of the severestrain at the moment the transmission of power occurs. l consider kone ofthe outstanding features of my invention to be the perfect balance wl i is enabled always to bel obtained in consequence ofthe manner in wliiclriiiy.structure tends constantly to stabilize by counterbalancing any friction that might` n'ioinentarily be unevenly distributed around the pulley.Y Y

A pair ofclutch actuating lingersSO serve directlyY operatethe clutch in the usual manner.V They are illustrated in detail in Figs, VH and VIH. As is there apparent they arecurved vintwo directions and arek `provided near one end with hollow bosses Sldesi ned to be fitted between the Jairs of Y 1 ears 20 and there -pivoted in place by means of pins 8221s is shown in Figs. land ll. (30'V .Y `The extremities B3 of the fingers BOwliich are nearest'thebosses 31 are adapted to come in contact Witheach other at a point where the brake ring is split and substantially midway Y of the friction surface 5 as also may be seen in Figs. I and II..V Eachof the lingers 30 is propthe extren'iities vided beyond its pivotal pin 32 with reference to the outer extremities 33 with a projection 34 extending` obliquely downward and provided with an opening A tension spring 36 has its ends passed through the openings and exerts a constant tendency to oscillatc the fingers in the direction of separation of Still further removed from its boss 3l each finger is provided with another projection 37. These extend toward each other and each is formed with an arcuate surface 38 adapted normally to bear against surface 28 on the spider und also with the Hat surface 39 adapted to abut the surface 29 and thereby limit thc action on the part of the lingers in one axial direction. It'will be manifest that thc surfaces 3S and 39 act as stops and the manner in which they conform to the surfaces 2S and will be most clearly understood from an inspection of Fig. Hl.

The opposite extremities Ll() of the lingers 3,0 are provided with alincd screw threaded openings normally substantially perpendicular to and in the same plane as the axis of the shaft l as appears in Figs. l, ll and lll. Into such openings cap screws ll havin;r rounded inner ends l2 are inserted for adjustment toward or away from cach other. rilhey may be fixed bythe lock-nuts 43. However they are syi'unietrical with `reference to the contour of the cone 2 which is to be shoved therebetween. lt is obviously de sirable that the extremities i2 be centralized with reference to the cone 2 and the shaft with reference to the duty which they are to perform.

My invention differentiates from the majority of marketed clutches in a fundamentally important particular. namely, in hav ing a friction ring and spider which are not connected with each other in the ordinary sense, but merely loosely interlocked and adapted solely to rotate together. The fingers only start to put the ring into contact with Vthe pulley independently of thc spider, which latter thereafter takes up the load. The spider does this by coming` into engagement with one end of the ring. Afterward the binding effect is progressively increased according to the force applied hetween the spider and ring end. The action is so positive as to p actically eliminate slipping, and may be said to be an automatic torsional maintenance of frictional engagement. u

The operation of my clutch is as follows:

lt may be,V assumed that the pulley 3 is rotating freely about the shaft l. As the cone 2 is moved between the extremities of the fingers these are tilted or spread apart7 but owing to thecontact of their opposite extremities 33 the result is a spreading` apartA of the pins 32 and consequently of the ears QO'of the friction ring. Such action causes stantly main-tained is soimproved as to requireavery slight pressure on 'the part `of the cone in order to exert aii-eiiorn'ious friction. i

During'the driving 'action the vfrictional engagement of the ring and pulley is automatically maintained by reason of the prevailing tendency of onefree end of the ring tov be separated from the other.

f claim: A f Il. A device of the character described clfiinprising, a pulley, an arcuate expansible structure for frietionally engaging said pul` ley, a shaft, and clutch actuating mechanism adapted operatively t0 connect said structure and pulley and including a part pivotally attached to-said structure and a part keyed to said shaft, said parts being adapted for relative engagement so as to cause them to rotate together, said parts being capable of separation during the initiation of said rotary motion and being enabled constantly to exert a tendency to expand such structure during the rotation of the parts thereafter', and means adapted to control the position of saidV part Which is pivot-ally attached to said structure.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pulley, a shaft, a spider secured to the latter, a floating friction ring adapted to enga-ge said pulley, said ring being split, said spider being rotatably interlocked therewith, and means carried by said ring for.V effecting its engagement With the pulley ivhereby said spider is in turn engaged and rotated by said ring in such a Way kas to maintain the expansion of the latter. 3. A device of the character described comprising, a pulley, a shaft to be driven, and clutch mechanism adapted operatively to connect said members'andincluding a split friction ring therebetween and a pair of fingers pivoted to the ends of said ring and a spider fitted between said ends. .Adevice ofthe character described comprising, a pulley, a shaft, a friction ring for engaging Vthe former, Amechanism carried by said ring for expanding the same, and a spider fixed to said shaft and having an extension loosely inserted betvveen'the ends' of said ringand adapted to rotate in unison `panding action of therewith and to have a vdriving engagement with one end thereof. i

A device of the characterA described comprising,a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring for engaging the former, means forexpanding said ring, a spider fixed to said shaft and having a radially extending' arm adapted to fit between the separated ends of and to rotate in unison with said ring, said spider being counterweighted diametrically opposite from its arm and means for guidingthe movement Vof `said fingers, the, arrangement being such that the driving'action autoi'natically augments the frictional engagement 0f the ring With thepulley.

6. A device of the character described comprising, a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring adapted to engage the former, a countervveighted spider loosely interposed betiveenthe ends of said ring and fixed to said shaft, and means for expanding said ring such that one of its ends depending upon thedirection'of rotation drives said spider.

i'. Adevice o-f the character described,

. spider, said ring being engageable with said pulley, and said ring for of the parts. y

8. A device of the character described, comprising a pulley, a shaft, a spider fixed to said shaft 'and concentrically disposed Within said pulley 'so as to be spaced therefrom, a split friction ring loosely positioned between said spider and pulley, said spider and ring to rotary'action at the free ends whereby to rotate in unison, and means carried bodily by said ring for simultaneously moving the ends of said ring apart and relatively to said spider.

9, A device of the Vcharacter described comprising, a pulley, a shaft, a friction ring adapted to vengage the former, a spider keyed to said shaft and adapted to rotate With said ring, mechanism including yieldingly separable clutch fingers for expanding said ring, said fingers being provided each With a double acting stop vvhereby to limit movement thereof in two distinct directions.

10. A device of the character described comprising a pulley, a shaft, an expansible friction ring adapted to engage the former, a spider keyed to said shaft and adapted to rotate With said ring, mechanism for expanding said ring, a spring resisting the exsaid mechanism, said spider and mechanism having` engageable surmeans movably connected lto initiating the concerted action angularly related directions at twofpoints With said spider.

being radially interlocked solely as of said ring 11. Adevice of the character described comprising, a pulley, a frictionring eXpansible thereagainst, a shaft, a spider carried byy said shaft and rotatable with said ring, apair of clutch fingers pivoted to said rin teriorlyof said-pulley andiprovided with a Y forcetherebetween a tendency `automatically.

v45. 1 ing; the `action of said expanding means pair of surfaces opposed to each other near its ends, a pair of 'clutch fingerspivoted adjacent said surfaces respectively, having one pair Lofyends `adapted toabut at said pulley and another pair on substantially vopposite sides, ofthe axis of s aid shaft,vaspring acting to draw saidlast mentioned Ypair ofends together lwhereby to contract 'said ring, a

spider fixed to said shaft and lfitted between said-opposed ring surfaces, and axially inov'ablevmeans for spreading said fingers apartwhereby toexpand said ring about the common; fulcruni at `the otherends of Y the fingersthe arrangementbeing such that the rotation of said ring is connnunicated to saidspider and by reason of the driving toy expandsuch vvring, maintained.

13. :A deviceof the character described, comprising a pulley, a shaft,a spider, having v ani arcuate edge concentric'withsaid pulley fixed to. said shaftand spaced from said pulley, Va split friction ring freely supported between the arcuate/edge andinner surface -o f said spider and pulley respectively, mechanismfor expanding Vincluding reactingly connected arms pivoted to said ring, the latter being adapted to rotate in vunison with said-pulleylandspider, andmeans for guidagainst movement in relatively ktransverse directions. .f

f Y14.V A ydevice :of the character described, comprising Ya-pulley, a split friction ring within said pulleyv and having ends spaced apart, a'pspider fixed .to said shaft, said spider'having an arcuate edge concentrically inclosedybyV said ring and also having a radial projection interposed between said riiig'ends such that said ring and spider may rotate in unison, and means for separating thek endsl of said ring from said projection and from each other preparatory'to the initiation .of the rotation thereof.

.15. Afdeviceof the character described, coniprisinga pulley, a split kfriction ring adaptedtovengage the saine interiorly, a shaft,"a spiderfixedp'to said shaft and; nterposed betweeny juXta-positioned ends` of said ring, andv fingers pivoted to such ends and adapted to move the same away fi'om said spider until said ring engages said pulley whereupon said spider is rengaged and rotated by said ring.

.16. A device -of the character described. comprising a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring adapted to engage the former, means carried by one of said parts for effecting such engagement, and a spider secured to said shaft and provided with an arm extending between the ends of said ring whereby operatively to connect said pulley and shaft in such a manner that the torsional actioncontinually tends to expand said ring.

17. A device of the character described, comprising a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring adapted to engage the former, means including clutch fingers for expanding said ring, said fingers being provided each with astop whereby to limit movement thereof in a direction toward said shaftv so as to centralize the whole, and a member operatively connecting said ring and shaft, said .member being fixed to said shaft and having a part loosely interposed between the ends of said ring whereby the torsional action therebetween is automatically maintained.

18. AV device ,of the character described, comprising a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring adapted to engage the former, a spider` fixed 'to said shaft and freely interposed between the divided ends of said ring whereby, operatively to connect the saine, andy mechanism including clutch fingers tiltable againsteach other and adapted to expand said ring, said fingers being provided each witha projection whereby to limit movement thereof .in a direction substantially parallel to said shaft, and means for tilting said fingers.

. 19. A device of the character described, comprising a pulley, a split friction ring with-in said pulley and fashioned with juxtaposed surfaces, a shaft, a spider secured upon said shaft and provided with an arm fitted between said surfaces to rotatably connectsaid ring and shaft, a pair of fingers pivoted intermediately of their ends to said ring,- and means for separating one pair of ends of said ngers whereby to fulcrum their opposite ends against each other and initially move said surfaces away from said spider.

*20. A device of the character described, comprising a pulley, a shaft, a split friction ring adapted to engage the former, means including a pair ofV fingers pivotally connected with the separated ends of said friction ring respectively and adapted to separate 'such ends, a spider secured to said shaft and provided with van arm extending between the ends of saidring and adapted rotatively to connect said pulley and shaft, and lmeans for limitingthe action of said fingers in tWo directions whereby toy eentralize and steady the Whole.

2l. A device of the character described,

comprising a pulley, a shaft, a split friction,

ring adapted to engage the former, a spider keyed to said shaft and adapted for limited rotary movement relative to said ring, {ingers articulating with and solely supported by said ring and adapted to fulcrum in direct engagement With each other on one side of the points of their articulation With said ring, a tension spring connecting said `1ngers on the other side of their points of articulation, and means for actuating said fingers.

Signed by me, this 24th day of July, 1917.

` FREDERICK D. DEMUTH.

Copies of this patent may" be obtained for've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ot' Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

